The present invention relates to an apparatus for molding tires for motor vehicles in which the tires are provided with annular reinforcements located below the tread surface of the tire. Such an apparatus includes a mold comprising an inner core, an upper and a lower mold end part arranged coaxial with the core and engaging respectively upper and lower portions of the latter as well as a plurality of segments for forming the region of the tread surface of the tire and arranged about the core radially spaced from the latter, whereby such segments are movable in radial and/or axial direction toward and away from the core.
To improve the useful life of a tire and to improve the running characteristics thereof, it has been proven advantageous to provide besides reinforcements in form of wire cores not only in the bead region of the tire but also to provide radially inwardly respectively below the tread surface of the tire a reinforcing insert comprising a layer of preferably metallic treads, wires or cables.
In known molds for injection molding tires for motor vehicles the insertion of such a thread surface reinforcement insert onto the tire foundation or tire body which usually is produced in a first injection process is very cumbersome, because such insertion has to be carried out by hand and in addition it is practically impossible to maintain this reinforcement insert for the tread surface in its proper place during the injection molding of the tread surface so as to assure thereby the quality of the finished tire.